In the Footsteps
of John Muir
This
Celebration of the life of John Muir's time in Meaford
(1864-66) is an annual conservation event organized by the Canadian
Friends of John Muir (CFJM). The celebration
attracts local citizens and conservation enthusiasts from around the globe.

The CFJM uses experts in history,
archeology, botany, ecology, glaciology and geology to interpret the unique
features of Trout Hollow - the site of the sawmill where Muir lived and
worked during his formative period (1864-66)

For more information, please visit
the Canadian Friends of John Muir website!

The organising committeee of the Dunbar Millennium Celebrations have
asked Dunbar's John Muir Association to make e-mail contact with the Muir
communities we are 'twinned' with. On behalf of DJMA and the Dunbar community
it is my pleasure to honour our close mutual bonds with a simple, yet heartfelt,
message of goodwill as the new Millennium approaches.

"The Community of Dunbar sends its very best wishes to the good
citizens of Martinez, Meaford, and Haines for a prosperous new Millennium.
May all your plans and aspirations to celebrate and honour John Muir bear
fruit in the year 2000 and beyond. Muir's words and actions are as relevant
today as they ever were and there can be no doubt that in the new millennium
our Planet Earth needs the passion and commitment of communities like ours
to carry the legacy of Muir into the 21st century. This message of goodwill
will be incorporated into the Dunbar Millennium celebrations and will be
read out just before the Lone Piper and the lighting of the Millennium
Beacon. Dunbar's beacon will form part of the chain of beacons across the
country joining communities throughout the whole of Scotland and symbolising
the beginning of the New Millennium. Muir would no doubt have approved
of fire being used to symbolise such a new beginning. He knew well that
fire in his beloved Yosemite allowed for the regeneration of the forest.
Let us all hope that the beacons in Scotland, and Dunbar in particular,
symbolise a regeneration of Muir's ideals."

Since this message of goodwill is to be read out, it would be wonderful
if there were some replies from any of our friends in Martinez, Meaford
and Haines. Please feel free to circulate this message of goodwill as you
see fit and encourage a response no matter how brief.

You might like to know that parts of the John Muir Exhibition that
was hosted at the City Art Centre will be displayed in Dunbar from late
April to late September 2000 and DJMA will be organising supporting events
and activities.

John Muir has also been chosen as East Lothian's Man of the Millennium.

I would just like to finish on a personal note and wish all of you
the very best for 2000. I have had the pleasure of meeting many of you
through our mutual admiration for Muir. I very much look forward to meeting
those of you that have yet to come to Dunbar.

PS I'm using my personal e-mail address as the return address since
my work e-mail, and consequently e-mail forwarded to it from muir-birthplace.org,
is out of action just now. So please use duncan@smeed.org
to reply. Thanks.